St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-23
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
An Interesting Service at the South
Church

graduating class or the ST. JOnnsOury
academy was delivered Sunday eve-
ming by Rev. E. P. Wild of Newport.
The services were held in the South
church, the platform and pulpit being
handsomely decorated with flowers.
The yonng gentlemen of the class,
numbering 81, were seated in front at
the right, and the young ladies, num-
bering 80, at the left. The choir, as
sisted by Mr.. and Mrs. j. III. Humphrey
of the North church, very effectively
rendered as an opening selection, War
Iren's Te Deum Laudamus in G. Mr..
id was assisted in the opening SER
BY Rev. C.. M. LamsOn.
zerp,on was one we'll adapted
S5--occasion. The texts,
81 nd Acts 8: IL, referred
rs d|ze king of the old
tee A. tile. of the new,
comparfs6 tn in order to
First was noted z615< points of resem-
blance between them. ~ Both were
young men of talent and promise.
There was not among the children of
Israel goodlier person than the Young
king, nor among the Jews man of
greater promise than Gamaliel's pupil.
(2) Each lived i'm remarkable and
critical time. The people of Israel
were just entering upon a new period
of their national existence, on the one
hand it was critical time for the
new religion, by which alone the old
could be saved, on the other. (3) Each
was called to a special work and
trusted by the people to do that work /;
the first Saul to be the deliverer of the
chosen people, the other a chosen YES
sci unto God to bear His name before
the people. (4) Both entered upon
their work with modesty, energy and
hope; the former diffident at first but
brave, the latter modest but full of
vigor and hope.
At the beginning of public life these
two men were much alike but tracing
their history further we find sad differ
ences. (D In regard to the great OBJ
ject or aim of life. Saul, the king, re-
solved to have his own way !; Saul the
Christian convert, began his new life
with the question, "LOrd, what wilt
Thou have me to doq" (2) In respect
to the character sustained in the world.
On the one side we find vacillatiOn,
insi ncerity, cowardice, jealousy; on
the other decision, truthfulness, cOur-
age, self-denial. (3) In regard to the
hopes entertained. King Saul enter
tanned no great hopes; with the other
Saul his anticipation of the future life,
his Cksisti6R hope, was invariably put
in the foreground. One saw nothing
but darkness before him; the other
nothing but brightness. One died the
death of cOwardly suicide; the other
that of an exultant martyr. (4) In re-
spect to the impression left by the in
dividual life upon the world. One is
remembered as a selfish, unlOvely man;
the name of the apostle will be rever-
enced as long as Christ's gospel is
preached. Here then is the final point
of contrast. Saul the king was a mis-
cradle failure; Paul the Christian was
a magnificent success.
From this character study the speak
er urged his hearers to make broad
application. It's great lesson is, that
according as any human being controls
and disciplines himself or fails to do
this, so are his life, his influence, and
his future condition whatsoever u
man sows that shall he also reap. In
concluding the speaker declared that
the great personal question with each
is not that of political party, not that
of labor and capital, not that of cul-
ture or profession, but that of proper,
happy relation to God through Christ.
Settle this in the right way, and none
of the others need trouble you greatly.
Addressing the graduating class Mr..
| Wild said:
To the members of the graduating
class | wish to speak few words in
closing. OF course have had you in
mind in saying what | have already
said. But wish to honor you with a
still closer application of my theme.
Will you allow me respectfully and
lovingly to give You an Interpretation
of your class motto, in the light of the
truths which / have brought out in
this discourse
"Finem" What is the end which
YOU seek z 1t cannot be one that is
limited by this earthly life of ours, for
mind must surely Outlive and OutgrOw
matter. And if it extends beyond this
life, it is illimitable by human thought,
for finite thought alone can find rest
ing place.
"Certum." How can any end be GER
tain in this throbbing, changing exis-
tence, either present or future, unless
it is fastened by that grandest of hu-
man exercises, faith to the eternal
changeless One whose dwelling place
is in the heavens?
And then "Pete.n How will you
seek that certain object, if not through
Him who said, "NO man cometh unto
the Father, but by me 2" Here are
three wonderful thoughts. l have told
you already that it will not do to take
anything in this life without a religi-
GUS meaning. Apply this principle to
your motto, and you have these mighty
truths, which / counsel you to remem-
Der every time you repeat the words
"Certuns, pete, .fnem," Immortality
God Christ. Put these into your life
each of you, and make the most you
can of them; and that life, wherevei
it may be spent, will be a magnificent
eternal success. 1t is not improbable
that the person is now living in this
village, who will see every one of tho